Apparatus for the control of railway car retarders



Febzl, 1933. W, WOOD ET AL i,89$,@2

APPARATUS FOR THE CONTROL OF RAILWAY CAR RETARDERS Filed March .5, 1932 INVENTORS. MZZQPdAJVOOdd/Qd Amh UP 2. Mao/zeszwg.

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Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLARD A. WOOD, OF SWISSVALE, AND ARTHUR It. MAGHESNEY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA APPARATUS FOR THE CONTROL OF RAILWAY CAR RETARDERS Application filed March 5,

Our invention relates to apparatus for the control of railway car retarders.

In certain forms of gravity fed car dumper installations a series of uncoupled cars are pushed onto an incline or hump leading to the dumper and are stopped just below the apex of the hump by a car retarder, and the car retarder is then operated to permit one car at a time, as desired, to coast down the incline or hump to the dumper. Heretofore, the control of such car retarders has been effected in its entirety by manually operated means, and it sometimes happened that when the car retarder was operated to release a car, the operator failed to restore the carretarder to its braking position in time to grip the car directly in rear of the released car, with the result that several cars were sometimes permitted to descend to the dumper at a time. It is undesirable that this should happen, and one object of our invention is to provide means for controlling the car retarder in an installation of the type described in such manner that when the car retarder is operated to its non-braking position to release a car, it will be automatically restored to its braking position as soon as the car which has been released leaves the retarder. 3o

We will describe one form of apparatus embodying our invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying our invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference characters 1 and 1 designate the track rails of a stretch A of railway track which stretch slopes downwardly toward the right to a car dumper indicated diagrammatically at F. It is desirable to be able to push a series of uncoupled cars which are to be dumped by the dumper onto the left-hand end of the stretch A, and to hold them there by suitable means in such manner that one car at a time may be released, as desired, and for this purpose, the stretch A is provided with a car retarder R controlled in accordance with our invention. As here shown, the car retarder R comprises two braking bars 2 and 2 10- 1932. Serial No. 596,984.

cated on opposite sides of, and extending parallel with rail 1, and two similar braking bars 3 and 3 located on opposite sides of, and extending parallel with rail 1*.

The braking bars 2, 2 3, and 3 of the car retarder R are operated by a fluid pressure motor M comprising a cylinder 4: containing a reciprocable piston 5 attached to a piston rod 5% The braking bars 2, 2 3, and 3 are operativelyconnectedwith the piston rod 5 of motor M through suitable linkage including a lever 6 pivoted at point 6. When piston 5 is moved toward the left, the braking bars are each moved toward the associated rail to their effective or braking positions, the parts being so proportioned that when the braking bars occupy these positions, they will engage the wheels of a car with sut'lcient braking force to prevent such car and any cars on the stretch A to the left of such car from coasting down the stretch to the car dumper. When, however, piston 5 is moved to its extreme right-hand position in which it is shown in the drawing, the braking bars are moved away from the rails to their ineffective or nonbraking positions in which any car which was previously gripped by the retarder will be released. It will be understood, of course, that when a car is released, it will coast down the stretch A to the dumper, and that the cars on the stretch above such car will also coast down the stretch unless they are stopped by the retarder.

Motor M is controlled by three magnet valves V V and V each comprising a valve stem 7, biased to an upper position by means of a spring 8, and provided with an armature 9 and a winding 10. l/Vhen valve V is energized, valve stem 7 of this valve moves downwardly against the bias exerted by spring 8, and a pipe 11 which communicates with the left-hand end of motor M is then connected with a pipe 12 which is constantly supplied with fluid pressure, usually air, from a suitable source not shown in the drawing. When valve V is deenergized, however, valve stem 7 of this valve is moved upwardly by spring 8, and pipe 11 is then disconnected from pipe 12. When valve V is energized, valve stem 7 of this valve is moved downwardly, and a pipe 14 which communicates with the right-hand end of motor M is then connected with atmosphere through an exhaust port 13, but when valve V is de- 5 energized, pi e 14 is disconnected from atmosphere an pipe 11 is connected with atmosphere through port 13. lVhen valve V is energized, valve stem 7 of this valve moves downwardly and connects pipe 14 with pipe 10 12 but when "alve V is deenergized, pipe 14 is disconnected from pipe 12. It will be apparent, therefore, that when valve V is energized, the left-hand end of motor M is supplied with fluid pressure and when valve V 15 1S energized, the right-hand end of motor M is supplied with fluid pressure. Furthermore, when valve V is energized, the right-hand end of motor M is vented to atmosphere, but when valve V is deenergized, the left-hand end of motor M is vented to atmosphere.

The valves V, V and V are controlled by a relay D which, in turn, is controlled by a normally open ap lication push button P, a normally closed re ease push button P and by two insulated rail sections 23 and 24 formed in the rail 1 by means of insulated joints 25. The rail sections 23 and 24 are so spaced that when the front wheels of the rear truck of a car occupy the rear section 23, the front or rear wheels of the forward truck will occupy the forward section 24, and the sections 23 and 24 are preferably located in such positions that the left-hand insulated joint 25 of the section 23 will be as close to the leave .ing end of the car retarder R as is possible. It will be apparent with this arrangement that when the wheels of the front truck of a car occupy the forward section 24 and the wheels of the second truck occupy the rear section 23, the two sections 23 and 24 will be electrically connected together through the needles and axles of the car and the portion of the rail 1' between the wheels of the two trucks.

The valves V and V are also controlled in part by two contacts 15 and 16, respectively, which are operatively connected with piston 5 of motor M. As here shown, the contacts 15 and 16 are so arranged that when piston 5 Q;occupies its extreme right-hand position, in which it is shown in the drawing, both of these contacts will be open. When piston 5 is.

moved toward the left a predetermined distance from its extreme right-hand position,

however, contact 16 will become closed, and

upon slight additional movement of the piston toward the left, contact 15 will become closed, as will be readily understood from an inspection of the drawing.

Associated with the relay D is a single stroke bell G the function of which will be made clear as the description proceeds.

In explaining the operation of the apparatus as a whole, we will assume that the parts are in the positions in which they are shown in the drawing, and that the operator wishes to move the braking bars to their braking positions to stop a series of uncoupled cars which are being pushed onto the stretch A in the direction indicated by the arrow. To do this, he operates the application button P This completes a pickup circuit for relay D and current flows from terminalB of a suitable source, not shown in the drawing, through push button P, wires 17 and 18, back contact 19-19 of relay D, wire 20, and the winding of relay D to the other terminal C of the source. Relay D therefore becomes energized and opens its back contacts 19-49" and 30-30, and closes its front contacts 1919, 26, and 3030". As soon as the back contact'1919 of relay D opens, a shunt circuit which was previously closed around a resistance E at this contact is opened, and current then flows from terminal B through push button P wire 17, resistance E, and thewinding of relay D to terminal C. This arrangementis used in orderto get a quick pickup of the relay without using an excessive amount of energy to hold it up. The closing of front contact 26 of relay D completes a circuit for the bell G which isobvious from the drawing, and this bell then rings to inform the operator that the relay has picked up. The operator may then release the application push button P and relay D will remain picked up by virtue of a stick circuit which passes from terminal B through the release push button P wire 21, front contact 1919" of relay D, wire 18,'resistance E, and the winding of relay D to terminal C. The closing of front contact 3030 of relay D energizes valve V by virtue of a circuit which passes from terminal B, through front contact 3030" of relay D, wire 31, winding 10 of valve V and common wire 32 back to terminal C. When valve V is energized, fluid pressure is admitted to the right-hand end of motor M, and piston 5 is therefore moved towards the left, thus moving the braking bars to their braking positions. When the braking bars are in their braking positions, the retarder will stop the series of cars approaching the retarder as soon as the cars have moved to the position in which the forward car is engaged by the retarder.

We will now assume that after a series of cars has been stopped by the retarder in the mannerjustdescribed, the operator wishes to release a car to permit it to coast down the stretch A to the dumper F. To do this, he operates the release pushbutton P. This interrupts the stick circuit previously traced for relay D, so that relay D now becomes deenergized, and deenergizes valve V, thus cutting off the supply of fluid pressure to the right-hand end of motor M. The deenergization of relay D also completes a circuit for V lve V and a circuit for valve V The circuit for valve V passes from terminal B through back contact 3O-3 0 of relay D, wire 83, contact 16 controlled by piston 5, wire 34, winding 10 of valve V and common wire '32 back to terminal C. The circuit for valve hand end of motor M. Piston 5 of motor M therefore moves toward the right, thus moving the braking bars of car retarder R toward their ineffective or non-braking positions. When piston 5 reaches the point at which contact 15 opens, the circuit which was previously closed for valve V at this contact is interrupted, and valve V therefore becomes deenergized, thus cutting off the supply of fluid pressure to the left-hand end of motor M. The fluid pressure which has already been supplied to the left-hand end of motor M, however, now expands and continues the movement of piston 5 toward the right until the piston reaches its extreme right-hand position. \Vhen piston 5 has moved to the position in which contact 16 opens, valve V becomes deenergized, and vents the left-hand end of motor M to atmosphere. The braking bars now being moved to their non-braking positions, the forward car of the series of cars is released and starts to coast down the stretch A to the dumper F. When the wheels of the front truck of this forward car pass over the rear insulated section 23 nothing happens, but as soon as the released car reaches the position in which one or all of the wheels of the front truck occupy the forward section 24 and the first pair of wheels of the second truck are just entering the rear section 23, a second pickup circuit for relay D becomes closed and current then flows from terminal B through release push button P wire 22, sec tion 23, the forward pair of wheels and axle of the second truck of the released car, the portion of rail 1 between the wheels of the second truck and the wheels of the forward truck, the wheels and axles of the forward truck, section 24, wires 29, 17, and 18, back contact 1919 of relay D, wire 20, and the winding of relay D to terminal C. Relay D, therefore, picks up and opens its back contacts and closes its front contacts in the manner previously described. Nhen back contact 1919 of relay D opens, it interrupts a short circuit around resistance E which was previously closed at this contact, and current is then supplied to relay D over a circuit which is similar to the circuit just traced with the exception that this circuit includes resistance E instead of wire 18, back contact 1 9-19 of relay D, and Wire 20, as will be apparent from an inspection of the drawing. lVhen front contact 1919 of relay D becomes closed, the stick circuit previously traced for relay D is then closed and this relay will, therefore, remain energized until push button P is again operated to interrupt this circuit. The closing of front contact 3030 of relay D energizes the valves V and V in the manner previously described, and the braking bars of the car retarder are therefore restored to their braking position, the parts being so proportioned that the braking bars will reach their braking positions in time to stop the car immediately in rear of the released car.

If the apparatus is operated in the manner just described until all of the cars of the series of cars have been released, and the push button is then again operated, relay D will become deenergized and will remain deenergized as will readily be understood from the foregoing and from an inspection of the drawing. he deenergization of relay D will of course cause the braking bars of the car retarder R to return to their normal positions in the manner previously described, and all parts will then be restored to the positions in which they are shown in the drawing.

One advantage of apparatus embodying our invention is that since a car which has been released automatically operates the apparatus to cause the braking bars of the car reta-rder to grip the car immediately in rear of the released car, any probability of more than one car at a time becoming released is completely eliminated.

Although we have herein shown and de scribed only one form of apparatus embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail of said stretch and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and nonbraking positions, two spaced insulated rail sections formed in one rail of said stretch, and means controlled by a car and including said rail sections for controlling said braking bar.

2. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail of said stretch and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and nonbraking positions, two spaced insulated rail sections located adjacent the leaving end of said braking bar. and means controlled by a car and including said rail sections for moving said braking bar to its braking position.

3. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail of said stretch and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and nonbraking positions, manually controlled means for moving said braking bar into its braking and non-braking positions, two spaced insu; lated rail sections formed in one track rail adjacent the leaving end of said braking bar, and means controlled by a car and including said insulated rail sections for automatically moving said braking bar to its braking position when a car passes said insulated sections.

4. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and non-braking positions, two insulated rail sections formed in one rail of said stretch and so arranged that when a car is passing said sections said sections will be at least momentarily electrically connected together by the wheels and axles of the car and a portion of the opposite rail from the one in which said sections are formed, and means including said two sections and effective when said sections become connected together for automatically moving said braking bar to its braking position.

5. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail of said stretch and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and nonbraking positions, two insulated rail sections formed in one track rail adjacent the leaving end of said braking bar, said sections being so spaced and of such length that when a car is passing said sections said sections will be at least momentarily electrically connected together by the wheels and axles of the car and a portion of the opposite rail from the one in which said sections are formed, and means including said two sections and effective when said sections become connected together for automatically moving said braking bar to its braking position.

6. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and non-braking positions, a relay, means for moving said braking bar into its braking or non-braking position according as said relay is energized or deenergized, two insulated rail sections formed in one rail of said stretch and so arranged that when a car is passing said sections said sections will be at least momentarily connected together by the wheels and axles of the car and the opposite rail from the one in which said sections are located, and a pickup circuit for said relay including said two sections. 7

7. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and non-braking positions, a relay, means for moving said braking bar into its braking or non-braking position according as said relay is energized or deenergized, a normally open push button, a pickup circuit for said relay including said normally open push button, a normally closed push button, and a stick circuit for said relay including said normally closed push button and a front contact of said relay.

8. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and non-braking positions, a relay, means for moving said braking bar into its braking or non-braking osition accordin as said rela is ener izedor deenergized, a normally open push button, a resistance, a first circuit for said relay including a back contact of said relay and said normally open push button, a second circuit for said relay including said resistance and said normally open push button, a normally closed push button, and a stick circuit for said relay including a front contact of said relay and said normally closed push button.

9. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and non-braking positions, a relay, means for moving said braking bar into its braking or non-braking position according as said relay is energized or deenergized, two insulated rail sections formed in one rail of said stretch and so arranged that when a car is passing said sections said sections will be at least momentarily connected together by the wheels and axles of the car and the opposite rail from the one in which said sections are located, a pickup circut for said relay including said two sections, a normally closed push button, and a stick circuit for said relay including a front contact of said relay and said push button.

10. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail and movable-toward and away from the rail into braking and non-braking positions, a relay, means for moving said braking bar into its braking or non-braking position according as said relay is energized or decnergized, two insulated rail sections formed in one rail of said stretch and so arranged that when a car is passing said sections, said sections will be at least momentarily connected together by the wheels and axles of the car and the opposite rail from the one in which said sections are located, a first pickup circuit for said relay including said two sections, a normally open push button, a second pickup circuit for said relay including said normally open push button, a normally closed push button, and a stick circuit for said relay including said normally open push button and a front contact of said relay.

11. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail and movable toward and away from the track rail into braking and nonbraking positions, a fluid pressure motor having a piston operatively connected with said braking bar in such manner that said braking bar will be moved to its braking or nonbraking position according as said piston is moved toward one end or the other of said motor, a first magnet valve for controlling the admission of fluid pressure to said other end of said motor, a second magnet valve for controlling the admission of fluid pressure to said one end of said motor, a third magnet valve for controlling the exhaust of fluid pressure from both ends of said motor, two contacts operatively connected with the piston of said motor and so arranged that said contacts will be closed at all times except when said piston is less'than a predetermined distance away from said other end of said motor, a relay, a circuit for said first magnet valve including a back contact or" said relay and said second contact, a circuit for said third magnet valve including a back contact of said relay and said first contact, a circuit for said second magnet valve including a front contact of said relay, a normally open push button, a first pickup circuit for said relay including said normally open push button, a normally closed push button, a stick circuit for said relay including said normally closed push button and a front contact of said relay, two insulated rail sections formed in one track rail adjacent the leaving end of said braking bar, said sections being of such len th and so spaced that when a car is passing said sections, said sections will be at least momentarily connected together by the wheels and axles of the car and the opposite rail from the one in which said sections are formed, and a second pickup circuit for said relay includingsaid insulated rail sections.

12. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail of said stretch and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and non-braking positions, a relay, means for moving said braking bar into its braking or non-braking position according as said relay is energized or deenergized, two insulated rail sections formed in one rail of said stretch and so arranged that when a car is passing said sections said sections ,will be at least momentarily connected together by the wheels and axles of the car and the opposite rail from the one in which said sections are located, means efiective when said sections are connected together for energizing said relay, and an indicating device arranged to be operated when said relay becomes energized.

13. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail of said stretch and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and non-braking positions, a relay, means for moving said braking bar into its braking or non-braking position according as said relay is energized or deenergized, a normally open push button, a pickup circuit for said relay including said normally open push button, an indicating device controlled by said relay for indicating when said relay picks up, a normally closed push button, and a stick circuit for said relay including said normally closed push button and a front contact of said relay.

1%. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail of said stretch and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and non-braking positions, a relay, means for moving said braking bar into its braking or non-braking position according as said relay is energized or deenergized, manually controlled means for energizing said relay, and means controlled by a car for automatically energizing said relay as soon as the car moves beyond the leaving end of said braking bar.

15. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail of said stretch and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and nonbraking positions, a relay, means for moving said braking bar into its braking or non-braking position according as said relay is energized or deenergized, a normally open push button, a resistance, a pickup circuit for said relay including said normally open push button and said resistance, means including a back contact of said relay for shunting said resistance when said relay is deenergized, a normally closed push button, and a stick circuit for said relay including said normally closed push button and a front contact of said relay.

16. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a braking bar located adjacent one track rail of said stretch and movable toward and away from the rail into braking and non-braking positions, a relay, means for moving said braking bar into braking or non-braking position according as said relay is energized or deenergized, two insulated rail sections formed in one rail of said stretch adjacent the leaving end of said braking bar and so spaced that when a car is passing said sections said sections will be electrically connected together by the wheels and axles of the car, a resistance, a first pickup circuit for said relay including said resistance, a normally open push button, a second pickup circuit for said relay including said resistance and said normally open push button, means including a back contact of said relay for shunting said resistance when said relay is deenergized, a normally closed push button,

and a. stick circuit for said relay including said normally close push button and a front contact of sand relay.

In testimonv whereof we aflix our signatures.

WILLARD A. WOOD. ARTHUR R. MACHESNEY. 

